17 runners, including six first-years, represented the Whitman Distance Track team in the Northwest Conference Championships on April 25-26 in Spokane, Washington. 

In the days leading up to the biggest event of the season, Whitman runners reflected on their preparation and goals for competition.

Junior Jack McManus is a perennial standout on the team’s roster. McManus, who has qualified for the NWC Championships all three years at Whitman, has firmly established himself among the upper echelon of Conference talent with his spring 2026 campaign. In this year’s Championships, he qualified for the 5,000m and 10,000m races. 

McManus emphasized sticking to the basics come race time and the value of incremental gains in practice, regardless of Championship outcomes.

“The process is always more important than the result,” McManus said. “…[W]e push through together, and it’s the only thing we can really do.” 

Despite struggling with illness and injuries over the course of the season, McManus headed into Championship weekend confident in his ability to perform on the biggest stage. Over the two days of competition, he more than delivered for the Blues, placing second overall in the men’s 10k on day one and fourth in the men’s 5k on day two.  

Not all of the runners attending the Championships had the experience that McManus did, especially the six first-years competing on the Championship stage for the first time.  

Among them was Lucia Shiffler, who qualified for the 800m. Shiffler relished the opportunity to compete in the Championships.

“I just feel grateful, and I’m happy to be going,” Shiffler said. “I’m super proud of the whole team.” 

Shiffler reflected further on her first year as a member of the team and her Championship outlook.

“It’s always just another opportunity to get better and see what I can do,” Shiffler said. “Looking back on the season, and all of the goals that I set for myself so that I could get here, I think it’s really exciting seeing all that pay off… Regardless of whether or not I had made it, I still would have been really excited about where I am right now.”

Shiffler’s Championship debut was a success; she ran a personal record time in the 800m.

Overall, the Championships were a resounding success for the Blues, especially on day one, which saw several standout performances. Senior Danny Steinberg placed fifth overall in the men’s 10k and senior Payton Davies placed eighth in the women’s 10k. On day two in the men’s 4x400m relay, first-years Giles Billick and Micah Knight, alongside sophomore Mason Fouty and senior Steinberg, turned in a season-best performance, finishing eighth overall.

Head Coach Scott Shields praised the team for its performance and tight-knit community.

“I’m really proud of them,” Shields said. “I mean, as every season and every year goes, we’ve been through a lot. Not just racing, but as a program. And they’re really a great group, top to bottom, and they care for each other tremendously. …[I]t allows us to get through any of the challenges that are out there.” 

Shields takes pride in the team culture he has cultivated where running is a source of passion and joy for athletes rather than a chore. This culture translated into over half of the team’s roster qualifying for the Championships. And, as the team looks towards the end of this semester, what matters more than any Championship is the joy they take in each other and in the sport they compete in.